Innholdsfortegnelse for February 1, 2026 i Sports Collectors Digest

Michael Jordan, Shohei Ohtani, Caitlin Clark and hot rookie cards headline the top eBay sales trends of 2025 From Jordan and Ohtani to the WNBA superstar, the top athletes and biggest names in sports dominated the sports collectibles market in 2025. Those names show up often in eBay Collected, the global marketplace’s annual trend report highlighting the athletes, characters and artifacts that attracted international attention and fueled collector demand in 2025. Powered by eBay marketplace data, the biggest sports moments, from game-changing performances to new trading card and memorabilia drops, are reflected in eBay marketplace sales data. “For 30 years, eBay has been the destination for collectors and fans to find, sell and shop for the things they love, and it's fascinating to watch trends emerge and evolve,” said Adam…

When it comes to Super Bowl supremacy, few teams can come close to the Pittsburgh Steelers winning four championships in six years from 1974-1979. Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” defense played a huge role in their winning era. It was led by a strong defensive line of L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes and Dwight White, and anchored by Hall of Fame defensive tackle Charles Edward “Mean Joe” Greene. Chuck Noll, the Steelers’ new head coach in 1969, selected Greene from North Texas State in the first round as his inaugural NFL draft pick. Within a few seasons the dismal Pittsburgh team turned dominant and Greene helped forge the blueprint with his skill, leadership, competitiveness, and a bruising style that solidified his nickname. The accolades for the 6-4, 275-pound defensive standout from Texas rolled…

For a complete listing of upcoming shows, visit www.sportscollectorsdigest.com NOTE: If you have a show listing, follow the style below and send to jowens@aimmedia.com. ALABAMA Feb 28 AL, Huntsville. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe St. SW, Huntsville, AL 35801. SH: 10am-5pm. T: 300+ ($75-100). A: $7 Contact: Daniel TheFlipTradeShow@gmail.com ARKANSAS Feb 28 AR, Siloam Springs. Vintage Sports Collectibles Show, Holiday Inn Express, 2100 US 412, Siloam Springs, AR 72761. SH: 10am-5 pm. T: 30. A: Free. Contact: Larry Yeager 918 575 2884; vinsprtcrds@hotmail.com ARIZONA Feb 15 AZ, Sun City West. Diamond in the Ruff Sports Card & Collectibles Show, SCW Foundation Webb/Powell Rooms, 14465 W RH Johnson Blvd., Sun City West, AZ 85375. SH: 1-5pm. T: 60 ($40; 2/$75; 3/$110). A: Free.…

To say 2025 was a wild ride for the hobby could be a massive understatement. From big-name investors such as “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary entering the space to diversify their portfolios to hobby-rocking scandals to a possible shakeup in the infrastructure of grading companies, collectors lived it all. However, all the hoopla didn’t diminish the enthusiasm, growth and high prices realized. Interest in the hobby is at an all-time high. One telling example is that the National Sports Collectors Convention shattered its attendance record, hitting six figures for the annual, five-day event. “I think the hobby is in great shape, and I’m going to say that with a caveat of all the stuff that has happened this year,” longtime collector Mike Moynihan said. “All the scandals and autograph people killing…

New draft classes and emerging stars across all sports once again gave collectors something new to chase this past year. In fact, rookie cards were once again hot sellers—from baseball and basketball to hockey and soccer—throughout 2025. Baseball saw several new stars emerge, most notably pitcher Roki Sasaki and first baseman Nick Kurtz. The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, coming off a wild World Series win against the Toronto Blue Jays, followed in the footsteps of teammate Shohei Ohtani in terms of card hype and popularity. Kurtz, selected by the Athletics in the first round of the 2024 MLB draft, was named AL Rookie of the Year. As a result, his card values soared. The NFL, with its new class of rookie quarterbacks, saw the emergence of Tennessee Titans signal-caller Cam…

EAGAN, MN—As a diehard Chicago Bears fan, it was challenging to even walk inside the Minnesota Vikings Museum with an open mind. Purple was everywhere and I knew there’d be plenty of sights, sounds and souvenirs of this proud NFC North team. I’ll admit, I have some favorites who are intertwined in the long, rich history of the Vikings, including Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page, Chuck Foreman, Bud Grant and Dennis Green. All were prominently featured in this beautiful 14,000-square-foot football museum that features a 360-degree video theater, multiple interactive exhibits and hundreds of historical artifacts. Fans (and even Vikings foes) can learn intriguing stories and insider details of the franchise’s first six decades in fun, unique and educational ways. The museum features a detailed, comprehensive history of the Minnesota Vikings,…

Shohei Ohtani was a proven commodity long before his three-homer, 10-strikeout performance in last October’s National League Championship Series-clinching game. His postseason theatrics have become customary in his two years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the global star’s play has jumped to another stratosphere with his second straight World Series victory and fourth MVP award in five years. And the prices and interest in his cards and memorabilia have followed suit—hitting all-time highs. “I think he’s separated himself in this modern era as the number one and by far the most important and valuable baseball player,” SCP Auctions Vice President Brendan Wells said. “Playing for the Dodgers and then winning a World Series only magnifies that. You’ve seen how much he’s separated from Aaron Judge. A lot of that…

Ten games into the 1978 NFL season, the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys fell to 6-4 after losing back-to-back games at home against Minnesota and in Miami. Quarterback Roger Staubach called a players-only meeting. “We will not lose another game,” he said. Sure enough, the Cowboys won their remaining six regular-season games with no opponent scoring more than 14 points. Dallas continued to dominate in the 1978 NFL playoffs, first stopping Atlanta and then blitzing the Los Angeles Rams, 28-0, in the NFC Championship Game. The Cowboys advanced to Super Bowl XIII on Jan. 21, 1979, ironically back in Miami against the AFC champion Pittsburgh. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 17 of 30 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns as Pittsburgh won,…

Scott Gomez is still asked almost daily to autograph hockey cards from his 16-year NHL career—and every past card carries an interesting tale. “There are some cards that are great; there are some cards that are not,” he said. “The thing that people don’t realize about cards is, you can tell how you were playing [through the photo] because of the glove, the stick, the moment. “If I was in a slump, I can tell.” How? “It was something I did with my glove or my stick. I don’t know if that’s the case with [cards of] other sports, but definitely [with hockey]. I always think that’s cool,” Gomez said. “If I was killing it, yeah, I absolutely could tell.” The best years of his career came with the New…